People v. Corbin

82 P.3d 373, 2003 Colo. Discipl. LEXIS 99, 2003 WL 23177370
CourtSupreme Court of Colorado
DecidedNovember 20, 2003
DocketNo. 02PDJ039
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 82 P.3d 373 (People v. Corbin) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Colorado primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People v. Corbin, 82 P.3d 373, 2003 Colo. Discipl. LEXIS 99, 2003 WL 23177370 (Colo. 2003).

Opinion

REPORT, DECISION AND IMPOSITION OF SANCTION

SANCTION IMPOSED: ATTORNEY DISBARRED

I. BACKGROUND

The People filed a Complaint in this matter on May 17, 2002. The Citation and Complaint were sent via regular and certified mail to the respondent on the same date. The People filed a Proof of Service of Citation and Complaint on June 6, 2002. The Proof of Service showed that the Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel sent Respondent Charles C. Corbin ("Corbin") a certified mailing of the Citation and the Complaint at his registered address in Denver, Colorado. Respondent failed to file an Answer or otherwise respond to the Complaint.

On July 10, 2002, upon the People's motion, the PDJ entered default as to the facts set forth in the Complaint, which were deemed admitted, and as to the claims set forth in the Complaint, which were deemed established. On October 22, 2002, the PDJ vacated the entry of default and the hearing, based on a question of law which remained unresolved by the Complaint: whether an attorney could continue to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office although suspended from the practice of law in Colorado.

The People filed an Amended Complaint on January 13, 2008. The Amended Complaint was sent via regular mail to Corbin on the same date. Corbin failed to file an Answer or otherwise respond to the Amended Complaint. On March 5, 2008, upon the People's Motion, the PDJ entered default as to the facts set forth in the Complaint, which were deemed admitted, and as to three claims set forth in the Amended Complaint-Colo. RPC 5.5(a) in Claim I; Colo. RPC 8.4(c) in Claim II; Colo. RPC 8.4(c) in Claim III, which were deemed established. Corbin had adequate notice of the hearing and did not appear in person or through counsel.

A Sanctions Hearing pursuant to C.R.C.P. 251.15(b) was held on October 22, 2002, before the Hearing Board consisting of the Presiding Disciplinary Judge ("PDJ") and two Hearing Board Members, Helen R. Stone and Paul Willumstad, both members of the bar. A continued hearing was held on June 16, 2008. Debora D. Jones, Assistant Regulation Counsel, represented the People of the State of Colorado at both hearings. Corbin did not appear either in person or by counsel at the hearing. At the Sanctions Hearing on October 22, 2002, the People's exhibits 1 through 9 were admitted into evidence. Subsequently, on June 16, 2008, the People's exhibits 10 and 12 were admitted into evidence. The Hearing Board considered the People's argument, the facts established by the entry of default, and the exhibits, and made the following findings of fact, which were established by clear and convine-ing evidence.

II. FINDINGS OF FACT

Corbin has taken and subscribed the oath of admission, was admitted to the bar of the Colorado Supreme Court on January 14, 1987, and is registered upon the official ree-ords of the Colorado Supreme Court, registration number 16882. Corbin is subject to the jurisdiction of this Court pursuant to C.R.C.P. 251.1(b).

All factual allegations set forth in the Amended Complaint were deemed admitted by the entry of default, and are therefore established by clear and convincing evidence. See the Amended Complaint attached hereto [375]*375as exhibit 1. The entry of default as to violations of Colo. RPC 5.5(a), 8.4(c) and 8.4(c) determined that the alleged violations of the Rules of Professional Conduct set forth in the order were established.

III. CONCLUSIONS OF LAW

Corbin was immediately suspended from the practice of law in Colorado on September 18, 1997, and has not applied for reinstatement. Corbin's practice included appearances in twelve trademark matters before the United States Patent and Trademark Office ("Office") despite his suspension in Colorado. Under the relevant federal regulations, and the case law interpreting them, such practice was in violation of the rules governing the practice of law. The relevant federal regulations provide that a trademark owner 1 may only be represented by an attorney or other individual authorized to practice in trademark cases; the provision does not include agents (non-lawyers). 37 CFR. § 2.11 (2003). Definitions pertaining to practice before the Office specify what is meant by the term "attorney" or "lawyer":

Attorney or lawyer means an individual who is a member in good standing of the bar of any United States court or the highest court of any State. A "non-lawyer" is a person who is not an attorney or lawyer.

37 C.F.R. § 10.1(c). There is no category of non-lawyer agents in trademark matters.

Practitioners before the Office include (1) an attorney or agent in patent cases or (2) an individual authorized under 5 U.S.C. § 500(b)2 or otherwise3 to practice before the Office in trademark or other non-patent cases. 37 CFR. $ 10.1(r). (emphasis supplied). Thus, attorneys in good standing in a state or other court may represent others before the Office in trademark cases, while non-lawyers (with an exception inapplicable here) may not.4 Id. § 10.14(b).

The framework for practice before the Office in patent cases is differentiated from that in trademark cases. Non-lawyers are specifically permitted to practice in patent cases, but are not permitted to practice in trademark cases. Failure to specifically include non-attorneys in trademark matters while including them in the patent area supports the conclusion that the omission was intentional. Beeghly v. Mack, 20 P.3d 610, 613 (Colo.2001) (under rule of interpretation expressio unius exclusio alterius, the inclusion of certain items implies the exclusion of others).

According to these regulatory provisions, the respondent could only practice before the Office in trademark cases if he was in good standing of the bar of any United States court or the highest court of any state. Evidence was presented that showed the respondent was not in good standing in any court at the time of the incidents in question.5 Having been suspended by the Colorado Supreme Court, the respondent's continued practice in trademark cases constituted the unauthorized practice of law.

In Marinangeli v. Lehman, 32 F.Supp.2d 1 (D.D.C.1998), the subject attorney had been suspended in New York and New Jersey for disciplinary reasons related to felony theft. When an investigator for the Office [376]*376received this information, the investigator informed Marinangeli that he could no longer practice before the Office in trademark cases because of his suspension in New York and New Jersey. Marinangeli was, however, able to continue practicing before the Office as a patent agent, because he did not need bar membership to do so. The Office filed a disciplinary complaint against Marinangeli in 1995 in relation to the felony theft conviction. Thereafter, Marinangeli was suspended for two years for practicing before the Office in patent and trademark cases, even though he had been reinstated from his suspensions in New York and New Jersey.

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Bluebook (online)
82 P.3d 373, 2003 Colo. Discipl. LEXIS 99, 2003 WL 23177370, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-corbin-colo-2003.